An Indian filmmaker and winner of several Filmfare awards has decided to boycott the award ceremony in protest of nominations of Pakistani artists.

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan has been nominated for a Filmfare Award for his role in Kapoor & Sons. Singer Atif Aslam has been nominated in the Best Playback Singer (male) category and will be up against fellow Pakistani Rahet Fateh Ali.

Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch has also been nominated in the Best Playback Singer (female) category.

Quite expectedly, the Bharatiya Janata Party also came out against giving nominations to Pakistani artists. “Relations with Pakistan have deteriorated to such an extent that there is a move now to declare Pakistan a terror state on an international level. Given the current crisis, I don’t think we can have Pakistani artistes coming here,” said BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.